The Raw Milk Program

January 22nd, 2010

The power of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has been focused on a national effort to ban the consumption of raw milk. This tireless effort has not been entirely successful. Today raw milk can be purchased at either the farm or retail in 28 states. Wisconsin has a bill currently winding its way through the legislature to legalize farm sales of raw milk.

Those who are on the front line of this issue clearly see that the fight is about more than raw milk. It s about the consumers’ right to decide what they eat. This concern has risen with the recent approval by the by the US House of Representatives, known as Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. This legislation is making its way through the US Senate. This will give the FDA much broader authority particularly in the area of food safety. This wasn’t motivated by the raw milk controversy, it came out of other food borne disease issues. The FDA stance on raw milk gives many consumer advocates concern about the impact this legislation will have.

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Peter is a Sarasota, Fl. Attorney who is the President of the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund Pete works on dairy issues for the Weston A. Price Foundation, particularly, the right of farmers to distribute raw milk and raw milk products direct to consumers. He has represented or assisted in the representation of dairy farmers facing possible state enforcement action in Florida, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan and Indiana. He has helped farmers get started in the business of distributing raw milk and raw milk products in many other states. He has written articles for Wise Traditions Magazine on the interstate ban on raw milk products for human consumption and on the legality of selling raw milk interstate for animal consumption. He compiled the state raw milk laws and state raw milk summaries posted at www.realmilk.com. He is currently working with others to challenge the federal ban on the interstate shipment of raw milk for human consumption.

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Max is a Viroqua, Wisconsin resident who was diagnosed with Crohnes disease at the age of 10. As a young adult Max was 5’11” and weighted just 110 pounds. Finding that traditional medicine wasn’t providing a cure, Max went on a raw food diet. It worked. Max gained 80 pounds and is in the pink of health. This experience has motivated Max to be a national advocate for the benefits of raw milk. Last year Max went coast-to-coast on his Ride for Raw Milk. More recently, Max is defending himself in court as the attorney general of Wisconsin is trying to get Max to divulge information on members of a raw milk cooperative* in Chicago named Belle’s Lunchbox.

For Your Consideration
Find out who’s watching over us when it comes to food safety.Download MP3

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